Call to Holiness News

Vol.6 , No. 1 Spring 2002 7 Years, Can You Believe It! As we approach this year's conference, we realize that it is the 7th year of the grace of God. Looking back on our past conference events we can truly agree that the success has been granted by God, in grace.

The Conferences have shown that there is indeed a new spiritual movement alive in the Church and in the world. As Fr. John Hardon once said, "The Catholic laity is finally rising up and defending their faith in a visible, vigorous way against dissident forces that seemed for a long time to control the public stage."

I believe we can testify to this statement as we reflect on the great number of Catholic Conferences throughout the United States and the world that have grown considerably over the past 7-10 years. We have seen the truth being witnessed by numerous people who have expe- rienced a conversion in their own lives and have come forth to share this profound truth of our Catholic faith. Truly a "growth in holiness."

With the development of holiness, which is brought forth by the activity or (workings) of the Holy Spirit, one can see the transformation of the Christian soul in the outer expression of the witnessing to faith. The Life of the Spirit within makes every action "spiritual."

This year we will witness once again the dynamic force of the power of the Holy Spirit working through the special people who will head our conference with the rising up of inspirations, initiatives, ideas, actions and charisms for the greater good of the Church. These special people will arouse our hearts with a message of hope and we will be inspired with the discovery of a new aspect of the Catholic faith and of the Christian life.

Fr. John Corapi, SOLT - Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, MJC - Ralph McInerny - Author and Renowned lecturer and apologist, Catholic Online forum and clergy lecturer, Ralph McInerny is Fr. Corapi currently resides in the staff, Chaplain Emeritus of the professor of medieval studies at diocese of Sacramento, CA where Household of the Most Holy Notre Dame University, where he recently served as Director of Rosary, headquartered at the he heads the Jacques Maritain the Diocesan Office of Catholic beautiful Church of St. Agnes in Center. He helped found Crisis Faith Formation and as the the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Catholic Dossier maga- Director of the Bishop's Special zines. He has written more Project on the Catechism. than 60 novels, including the well-known Father Dowling mystery series. Bishop Kevin Britt - Auxiliary Jeff Cavins - Returning as mas- bishop for the Archdiocese of ter of ceremonies, he is a former Detroit since 1994 and member of Protestant minister. Jeff returned CTH's Advisory Board, Bishop to the Church and is now host of Britt is an Auxiliary Bishop of the the EWTN television program, Al Kresta - Nationally syndi- Archdiocese of Detroit, NCCB Life on the Rock. cated Catholic radio talk show Bishop Chair of the Youth and host based in Ann Arbor, author Young Adult Subcommittee, mem- and apologist. ber of the USCCB vocations com- mittee , and member of the new NCCB Bishops' Laity Committee. Joan Appleton, RN - Registered Mary Jo Anderson - Mary Jo is nurse, and head nurse, until 1989, a contributing editor for Crisis of the Commonwealth Women's Magazine and contributing cor- Clinic, an abortion center in the respondent for World Net Daily. Bishop Emilio AlluÈ - Author, Washington, D.C area. Joan now A frequent conference speaker Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, and works for Pro-Life Action and radio guest, she takes a member of the Call to Holiness Ministries, and has testified hard hitting look at global Board of Advisors. before the legislature issues as they impact American and the U.S. Senate on behalf of sovereignty, civic and religious the pro-life. freedoms, and the assault on the foundations of Western Culture. Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J. - Acclaimed theologian, author, founder of , co- founder of Adoremus and The Catholic World Report, publisher Philip F. Lawler - of Catholic Dossier, The Faith, Editor of Catholic World Report Damien Fredericka - and Homiletic & Pastoral Review and Catholic World News Photo not Available Page 2 Call to Holiness News Spring 2002 A Note from Bishop Britt....

Since 1998 I have served on the tunity to come together to listen to the speakers, participate in Advisory Board of Call to Holiness. At the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the and to share the time I first joined the Board, I was with one another the enthusiasm of our Faith. somewhat of the "new kid on the block" as I was not all that familiar with Call I look forward to participating again this year and hope that many to Holiness or the people who are the more will join us in this celebration of the beauty and grace of the leaders in the apostolate. However, Church. after almost four years I have a much better perspective on what Call to Bishop Kevin Britt - Archdiocese of Detroit Holiness is about and understand better the apostolate's relationship to the Bishop Britt is an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Church. NCCB Bishop Chair of the Youth and Young Adult Subcommittee, member of the USCCB vocations committee , and member of the I have experienced the sincerity, dedication and deep love for the new NCCB Bishops' Laity Committee. Church of the men and women who are involved. For three years I have been able to attend the yearly conference in Sterling Heights. The people I have met at the conferences are filled with a desire to know more about their faith, to have the opportunity to share their faith with the hundreds who gather for the week- Call to Prayer - Call to Holiness end and pass on to their children the wonders of our faith celebrated throughout the weekend. The most important thing that you can do this day and in the days to come, is to spend one hour with Jesus in the Blessed Thorough my experience at these conferences I have come to Sacrament. John Paul II said, "Jesus waits for us in this understand the desire of all involved to make this an apostolate Sacrament of Love." Your faith will make this commitment available to people throughout the Untied States and the world. easy! Your willingness to choose one hour to pray with Him and Already, similar conferences are being held in various parts of the to Him will be a precious expression of your faith that Jesus in country, Canada and Australia. Perhaps, someday, there will be the Blessed Sacrament is welcomed, loved, and adored by you. others in different areas of the world. Please pray for the spiritual success of our Call to Holiness con- Though it is a tremendous amount of work to organize and put on ference and especially for the speakers, all who will be attend- such a conference that does not stop the leadership form forging ing this year's conference, and for the renewal of the church. ahead each year to bring about another successful weekend con- Strive to offer one hour a week of adoration from now until the ference. There are, no doubts, many frustrations, logistical conference. nightmares and last minute snaffoos, yet each year through the dedicated hard work, energy and undying efforts of the Call to May our Lord bless each one of us as we prepare for our work Holiness staff we succeed. to glorify God and bring lost souls back to Him through evangel- izing and teaching of our faith. Anyone who has had the opportunity to participate in the Conference can understand how much it means to have the oppor- Won't you please make this commitment starting this week?

ABOUT CTH

Call to Holiness, Inc., is a Michigan non-profit organization BOARD OF DIRECTORS TRUSTEES formed in 1996. We invite your comments. Write or call us at: PRESIDENT: ROBERT DEMENIUK AUGIE ANETRINI V. PRESIDENT: CHRIS PLACIDO RICHARD DECKER SECRETARY: PHYLLIS BAUSANO EDWARD LESLIE Call to Holiness TREASURER: JOHN DOYLE JAY MCNALLY P.O. Box 212 FR. EDUARD PERRONE Eastpointe, MI 48021-0212 HURLEY SMITH (313) 372-0762 Call to Holiness Mission Statement

CTH website hosted and managed by Acolyte, LLC. Call to Holiness is an organization of Catholics, obedient to the Vicar of Christ, faithful to the eternal truths of Jesus Christ. Our purpose is Our website address is: http://www.calltoholiness.com. to defend and support the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the You can reach us by email at [email protected]. , through prayer, education and evangelization. Page 3 Call to Holiness News Spring 2002

A Pastor's Descant by Fr. Perrone

No, I have not wanted to avoid ecclesiastical disciplinary authority over them to restrict and stifle the subject entirely, it's only their perverse inclinations. Such men should never be allowed to that, as one who does not make become priests. daily obeisance to the TV moni- tor nor bow his head before the A third point. The one great goal of the Evil One is the destruction newspaper, I don't much keep up of the Catholic Church. This is because the Church is Christ's with what we called in my high instrument for the salvation of souls. The most efficient strategy to school days, "current events." accomplish this destruction is the ruination of the priesthood. The Since I have given reasons for old saw goes, "As the priest, so the laity." If the priests become this deliberate ignorance before, corrupted, the people's faith will be destroyed. The scandal, moral I will not review them again trauma and public shame that have been brought down upon the here. But I am convinced by the Church because of these many and ill-handled crimes (to say noth- number of persons who have ing of the serious loss of revenues that have been paid by dioceses spoken to me on the subject of in settlements to the victims) have had the effect of disheartening the abuse of children by priests that I have to say something on the laity, creating a loss of confidence in the Church and the priest- this most disagreeable and distressing topic. At the outset let me hood, and causing much anger over the scarred lives of innocent say that no subject could make me more aggrieved than this. With children and the desecration of a most sacred calling. weighty soul I write this commentary. Sad to say, the end is not in full view. The current seminary struc- First, the priesthood is the most sacred duty in the world. The ture is not yet sufficiently reformed. Some very good men there are entrustment of the care of souls to priests was not the invention of sought out for expulsion or made to endure psychological "counsel- man, but of God. A priest must answer to God not only for his life ing" to reform their thinking. But even so, some good men are but also for the lives of all those under his pastoral care. How being ordained in recent years and are serving the Church in fideli- could it ever happen that men entrusted with this spiritual father- ty to its truth and in holiness of life. This is the good word in con- hood have come to injure their children so severely? There are rea- clusion. The newest crop of men in the seminary now is of better sons for this, and I would like to enumerate some of them. stock. Priests who have been ordained in recent years have been better men and, generally speaking, more dedicated priests. But Priests are taken out of the society in which we live. We are now will the seminary itself be fully reformed? Jesus' promise cannot beginning to see the flowering of the rotten fruits of the rock cul- fail: the gates of hell can never prevail-however much they may ture and the sexual revolution of the 1960s. It has taken time for assail-Christ's holy Church. these to become evident in all their hideousness. (The present high rate of crime in society proves this sufficiently.) Those who were Fr Eduard Perrone born in the 60s or were in their teens in those years learned well the lesson of license w